Balutan willing to resign if PCSO provided with more revenues

Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) general manager Alexander Balutan on Tuesday said he was willing to resign from his post if anyone could provide the agency with at least P6 billion per month.

Balutan made the pronouncement at a House hearing following a claim by gambling consultant Charlie "Atong" Ang that the PCSO can generate around P5 to P6 billion per month in revenues from the Small Town Lottery (STL).

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is conducting an inquiry into the alleged misuse of funds of the PCSO, as well as the various charges of corruption and anomalies.

Balutan said that in the earlier Senate inquiry into the same issue, it was raised that the STL can produce up to P6.5 billion per month in government revenue.

"Kung sino man po ang pwedeng magbigay ng ganyan sa atin sa gobyerno at ito ay makakatulong ng malaki sa atin sabi ko nga pababayaan ko sila maglaro diyan and I will resign. Sila na sa aking upuan," Balutan said.

In 2017, the PCSO said it was actually able to generate more than P15 billion from STL.

Balutan noted that the revenues from the STL can even be increased if illegal numbers games like jueteng would finally cease, since the latter takes away prospective earning from STL.

He earlier said in the hearing that the agency was doing its best to monitor STL operators to prevent it from being used as a "front" for illegal numbers games. — MDM/RSJ, GMA News